By: Brandon Davis
Recently, Omer Asik requested that the Houston Rockets find him a new home. The reports surfaced after playing only four minutes in a loss to Philadelphia and receiving a Did Not Play (DNP) the following night in Madison Square Garden. The beleaguered big man is rumored to have told coach Kevin McHale that he was not prepared to play against New York. The Rockets have subsequently denied Asik’s request. Rightfully so. The speculation that has emerged after this request, however, has created a great deal of extra commentary that obscures a few fundamental lessons we can glean from this situation.
Omer Asik is not above the Rockets
Quickly, identify the last malcontent to have been on the Rockets roster. Did you guess Royce White? Good. Royce joined the Houston Rockets as a rookie with anxiety disorder. The logical ends to dealing with this disorder, per his chief advocate; himself, was to dictate to the Rockets the terms of his employment. The result of this attempt to assert himself as more than the Houston Rockets was his subsequent trade to Philadelphia and, ultimately, his status as an unrestricted free agent in his second year in the NBA. Clearly Omer Asik presents a different situation. Asik has had no grandstanding, no prospects of being out of the league so quickly, and has definite value in the NBA. What the two share, however, is pride. Pride comes before the fall.
In this instance, Omer Asik’s pride after the Dwight Howard signing lead to his first request for a trade. His pride after the twin towers experiment ended in underwhelming fashion lead to his second request for a trade. His pride had lead him to take himself out of the lineup against the New York Knicks. The last time a player allowed pride to keep himself away from the Rockets he was isolated from the team until Daryl Morey could do something with him. In this instance Asik still ahs value. He is still one of the best centers in the NBA. The unfortunate reality for him, however, is that he plays on a team with the best center in the NBA. The emergence of Terrence Jones and Omri Casspi as ideal complements to Dwight Howard limits Asik’s playing time in a major way. What it doesn’t do, however, is relegate Omer to obscurity. Asik needs to acknowledge that he can contribute to a winning team for twenty to thirty minutes a night if he can expand his offensive game to a mid-range jumper. Arguably Asik signed with the Rockets to expand his game anyhow, now’s the time to make good on that justification. If, however, Asik decides that expanding his game and earning back his minutes is beneath him he should give Royce White a call.
Asik’s value is not diminished in the slightest
It’s not. Anyone arguing otherwise is either in denial or unaware of just how much of a premium an elite defensive center is in the NBA. The Miami Heat will be the first team to inform you that an elite defensive center can solve some major problems. Roy Hibbert terrorized the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals last year. A presence such as Omer Asik could have served as a counter to Hibbert’s dominant play. Granted, the Heat advanced past the Pacers but they could have done so with fewer sleepless nights had they had a center to keep Hibbert in check. Asik’s dip in production while playing next to Dwight Howard will not register concern for most NBA executives. It stands to reason that Asik’s productivity would decrease next to an All-NBA talent like Dwight. Executives are quick to understand that Omer is more the legitimate seven-footer who averaged a double-double last season than the hapless big man playing sidekick to Superman.
This raises the question as to what the value on Asik is, however. Asik is solidly in the second mid-tier of big men in the NBA. Howard occupies a tier almost exclusively at the top. You can argue that Roy Hibbert and Marc Gasol are in or around this level as well. None are as transcendent as Dwight Howard. What Hibbert lacks in defense and rebounding Dwight has and what Gasol excels in defensively Howard can eclipse. Asik falls into the second tier with players like Robin Lopez (Yes, a center needs to rebound the ball) and Marcin Gortat; reliable starters that flash either well-rounded play or one elite skill. This won’t fetch you a superstar but it will be a strong starting point for a conversation that can lead to one.
Don’t close Asik’s coffin yet, he’s alive
The Rockets haven’t hit the point of no return in their relationship with Asik. Both parties are at an impasse but one that can be rectified. The Rockets are yet to play teams that are vulnerable to the twin towers. The Pacers, Grizzlies, and Spurs are all vulnerable to the impact of Howard and Asik. Dwight Howard’s presence mandates that more often than not a floor-stretching four will be necessary. The unfortunate implication is that Omer Asik doesn’t really have a place on the floor unless Dwight hits foul trouble. Additionally Kevin McHale’s preference for small ball will continue to raise questions about Asik’s usage. The season is young. The Rockets are 7-4 and there’s 72 games left to play. The All-Star break is still three months away. The team has come out in support of Asik as a teammate and Asik needs to reciprocate that faith by producing on the floor.
One thing is for certain, however. The Rockets are handling this Omer Asik situation properly and will make the right call when the time comes.
